Love Unforgiving
by LeanaVine
Summary: The Jellicle Ball is long over and all the Jellicles must move on with their lives. Some will have to learn that you don't always get what you want. (Includes major character death. Warning of violence, sex and pregnancy. Munkustrap/Victoria. Mungojerrie/Jemima. Skimbleshanks/Rumpleteazer. Alonzo/Demeter. Tugger/Mistoffelees. One-sided Munkustrap/Jemima. One-sided Plato/Victoria.)


**A/N: **Hope you guys like this story. I've never written anything about _CATS_, but I felt a strong need to write this when I saw that **no one **else ships Munkustrap with Victoria. I mean, really? And I think all the ships that are going to be included in this are totally cute and not crazy at all, so don't hate on my ships. Just agree to disagree and leave if that's what you'd prefer. But I'd like it if you'd stay and try to see my side of things.

As always, I do not share any views expressed by any characters in this story. And I own nothing in this story.

Anyhow, please read, review and enjoy!

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_Part 1_

_The Protector and the Dancer_

**Chapter One**

Months had passed since the night of the Jellicle Ball, when Grizabella left the Jellicle tribe behind for the Heavyside Layer. Old Deuteronomy departed again, to who-knows-where, leaving his favorite son, Munkustrap, in charge of everything. Most of the Jellicles stayed together in the junkyard, but some returned back to their homes with the humans. Munkustrap would never understand humans, why they would feed a cat that only came around once or twice a day, only to eat and never to show love in return. It was as Deuteronomy had said, cats aren't easy to return affection – or "condescend".

Munkustrap had long made a home in an old tire which was covered with a blue tarp. Yes, it could get hot during the summer, but when it rained, most of the moisture was kept out. It certainly suited him better than a cereal box, such as the one that Victoria and Jemima shared.

Dear Victoria… Oh, how Munkustrap treasured her face. She was all eyes, alive and bright, also adorned with the smallest of pink noses, and a tiny smile that curved her mouth most days. That glorious white pelt, such as no other cat in the junkyard had – looking as pure as clean snow, or as delicious as fresh sugar. And her fur was indeed as soft as confectioner's sugar. Munkustrap often lingered on the memory when Old Deuteronomy was arriving for the ball, and she nuzzled her head into his thigh. He was given the opportunity to softly graze the fluff with his paws, and it was a moment he couldn't forget.

He often came to visit her and Jemima, where they lay on each other in their discarded box of Lucky Charms. Some mornings, he would stroll up to find Jemima attempting to solve the puzzles on the back. Yes, Jemima was also precious, with her bright eyes and bright pink lips. Even so, Munkustrap's heart belonged to Victoria, though she was yet to know it.

One morning, as he rounded a junk pile, he smirked to see Victoria and Jemima laying out on the moist dirt. The night before, it had been quite foggy, and the precipitation had obviously left their cereal box soggy. Victoria sighed, stretching her legs up in the air before reaching up to wrap her arms around her knees. She peered around her legs at Jemima, who noticed Munkustrap approaching.

"Are you enjoying the morning, ladies?" he asked politely. Usually, he tried to keep a conversation going with both kittens, so that Jemima wouldn't feel left out. He didn't want to appear to be ill-mannered in front of Victoria, though he couldn't help the fact that he always only came to see her.

Jemima smiled widely, her large eyes lighting up like mirror shards glaring in the sun. "Munkustrap, good morning to you." She crawled towards him, nuzzling her head to his foot.

His smile faded as he looked down at her, then he glanced up at Victoria, who was merely watching them. Why couldn't she care for him the way that Jemima did? He attempted to smile again, bowing slightly to Victoria. "Hello, Victoria. How are you on this fine day?"

She looked away from him, laying her legs straight in front of her. "_Fine _day?" she asked quietly. Munkustrap had learned that Victoria wasn't much for words; she showed her thoughts through her actions. This didn't make him feel much better, considering she wasn't looking at him, and she seemed a bit conserved in his presence. "Mucky," she corrected him. "_Mucky_ day."

Jemima turned back to look at her best friend. "Victoria, don't be so impolite. Munkustrap has come all this way to see you. Can you not at least cast a smile his way?" She smiled up at Munkustrap again, who gave her a tiny, crooked grin as a _thank you_. He did appreciate Jemima's affections, and he even more greatly appreciated her efforts to make Victoria more social.

The white kitten looked to them both, then looked at the dirt. "Forgive me," she murmured. She slowly moved closer, crouching in front of him, gazing up with hazel eyes. "Good morning," she whispered. For some reason, she appeared slightly nervous. Were her social graces really so awkward, or was there something else at work?

Either way, Munkustrap was happy to hear her speak. He slowly reached down, petting her head while also slightly scratching behind her right ear. "Did you sleep well, young kitten?"

Victoria pushed her head into his paw hesitantly, and Munkustrap swallowed when he could barely hear nearly inaudible purrs coming from her throat. She nodded, retreating from words once more. That didn't matter to Munkustrap. He was delighted to be getting a positive reaction from the kit. Her fur was just as soft as ever, and he relished the moment.

Then, Munkustrap could hear paws approaching, and his left ear twitched back in the direction. He turned to look back, pausing his touches to Victoria's fur. Jemima also looked in that direction, always wanting to join in with whatever interested Munkustrap. Victoria's eyes remained closed, her head still pushing to Munkustrap's paw, her purring fading away.

Who better to round the corner that Mr. Mistoffelees, who Munkustrap knew was Victoria's favorite cat in the world. Before the ball, Mistoffelees – or Quaxo, as he had previously known him – was one of Munkustrap's dearest friends, but that all changed when he saw how the tuxedo cat always glued himself to Victoria's side. Now, the tabby's fur rustled at the very sight of his romantic rival.

"Good morning, ladies," Mistoffelees said, disregarding Munkustrap's presence. "And what a glorious morning it is, indeed." His voice was highly strung with sarcasm.

Victoria now opened her eyes with delight. "Misto!" Her voice was still quiet, but more high-pitched now. How lovely for Munkustrap. She scurried over to the tux's side, scratching slightly at his hip and rubbing her shoulder on his shin. Munkustrap's jaw tightened with hatred. Jemima noticed, standing by him now and putting a paw on his shoulder, her face riddled with concern. He glanced at her briefly, then turned his eyes to the ground, avoiding the display in front of him.

Mistoffelees kneeled down, smiling at the pure white kitten. "Hello, Victoria. How do you manage to look so ravishing each and every day?" His flattery turned Munkustrap's stomach, who was now considering taking his leave. Finally, Mistoffelees gave attention to the other tom. "Hello, Munkustrap." His voice didn't sound as jubilant as before, but he wasn't rude.

Munkustrap nodded in return to the tuxedo tom. "Yes, hello," he replied. In his attempt to be friendly, he'd come off as uncomfortable – which he was, but that wasn't something that he needed to be obvious. The last thing he wanted was for Mistoffelees to know how jealous he was, because that could be used against him.

With a small grin, Mistoffelees stood, bringing up Victoria with him. "Excuse me for being discourteous and not stating my business here earlier," he asked of Jemima. Of course, she smiled, waving a paw to him as if saying _oh, you're no bother to me_. The tuxedo cat looked to Victoria again. "I came to inquire if you ladies would like to accompany me for breakfast. My uncle, Bustopher, asked that I join him on an outing to a local eatery, where they apparently discard pastries just for being the least bit stale." Victoria nodded quickly in reply, placing her paws on his. With another smile, Mistoffelees looked to Jemima. "If I may ask, are you hungry, Jemima?"

Jemima smiled, not answering right away – at least not until after she noticed that it was likely a smile would not be answer enough. "Yes, I would love to come along." Though she hadn't exactly said that she was hungry, that reply would be considered enough of an RSVP.

As she trotted from Munkustrap's side, she remembered the tabby, and turned to him. "Oh, but Munkustrap…" She peered over her shoulder at Mistoffelees and Victoria, then back to the tom before her. "How uncivil of us to leave just as soon as you arrive."

With a whisper of a sigh, he shook his head once, giving her a reassuring smile. "It is quite all right, Jemima. We wouldn't want you to keep Bustopher Jones waiting long." Of course this was upsetting to Munkustrap. As soon as he was able to touch Victoria, she was stolen away by the last cat he had wanted to see her with.

"Would you also like to come along, Munkustrap?" Mistoffelees asked. Though it was a kind gesture, the tabby got the feeling that he was not truly welcome to accompany them.

The Jellicle Protector shook his head, looking down at the dirt. "No, you go along, now. I still need to finish patrolling the yard." His voice shouldn't have been convincing. There was a pang of gloom in the statement.

Even so, Mistoffelees shrugged and turned, walking away with an arm around Victoria's shoulders. Jemima hesitated to follow, her eyes lingering on Munkustrap's sorrowful expression. Not wishing to be curt to Mistoffelees, she turned and scurried to catch up to the other two cats, leaving behind a less than satisfied tabby tom.

Well, what else was Munkustrap left to do but to finish his rounds and then return home to his tire and tarp? Some moisture had accumulated on the tarp, which he lapped up a bit ungracefully. Munkustrap was thankful for the moments when he could be alone, and he was free to act like a normal cat. The pressures of being Jellicle Protector and the son of Deuteronomy forced him to act like something more than a cat, but Munkustrap wasn't exactly sure how to define it. Possibly…almost human?

Maybe it was this quality that left Victoria acting so awkward around him. Mistoffelees was a star, a hero; Munkustrap was the leader, the pillar. Of course, everything about the tuxedo cat was dazzling and mystifying. Munkustrap wanted to be that, just for Victoria. He wanted to be anything for her.

With a groan, the tabby tom retreated under his tarp, into his tire. He curled up in the warm shade there, laying his chin on his paws. Why did love have to feel this way? His father, Deuteronomy, had never guided him in the ways of love. Somehow, his younger brother Rum Tum Tugger had found his path, so why couldn't Munkustrap find it for himself?

He sighed, turning onto his back so that he could rub his fur into the dirt. It was so unlike him, this motion, but he couldn't help it. Under the smug heat of the sun, the cool dirt was soothing. He wondered if Victoria ever craved getting dirty, slightly soiling that perfect white pelt of hers. Probably not. She was so infatuated with Mistoffelees, who always appeared so clean. That's when Munkustrap got the idea that, perhaps, if he washed up, it would be enough to impress Victoria. It had never occurred to him before how awful he must smell, having lived in a junkyard for so long without a bath. But how was he going to bathe?

Just then, there was a light scratching on his tarp. He turned his head lazily to where the sound emitted. "Who comes here?" he asked before he stretched and yawned.

"Alonzo," a voice came back.

Munkustrap tensed, quickly coming to his feet. He gave himself a onceover, and he knew that Alonzo would be curious as to why he was so filthy. Without much time to spare, Munkustrap patted the dirt from his fur, calling back, "What can I do for you, Alonzo?"

"Have you already patrolled the yard this morning?"

Finally, Munkustrap's pelt seemed more pleasing to the eye, and he crawled out of the tarp, sitting on the edge of the tire. Alonzo stayed crouched on the ground, giving his idol a nod and a tiny smile. Munkustrap sighed, then replied, "Yes, I already patrolled once. I just returned, actually."

Alonzo nodded again, looking away. "Alright, that's good." He looked back up at the tabby tom. "If you'd like, I could patrol again soon."

Munkustrap shook his head. "There is no need for that, Alonzo. Not much has probably changed in such little shadow movement." He idled to the shadows of the junk piles, which the cats used like sundials to tell time.

Alonzo looked at the shadows for a moment, then turned back to Munkustrap. "Is there anything else that needs doing? Have you already checked on the kittens?"

Munkustrap visibly tensed, just slightly. He sighed, laying on his tire. Alonzo looked up to his leader with curiosity. The tabby usually never acted so casually in front of him – in front of anyone, for that matter. Munkustrap, himself, was aware of this, but he found himself unwilling to care. "Yes, I have checked on the kittens," he finally replied, not an ounce of joy in his voice.

Alonzo hesitantly leapt up onto the rim of the tire, his tail swishing twice as he looked down at the Jellicle Leader in question. "Is something troubling you, Munkustrap?" The younger cat was genuinely worried for the tabby, who he looked up to as a role model.

The older cat remained silent for a moment, pondering on how he should answer. Finally, he sat up, tilting his head slightly to the right. "Alonzo, do you happen to know where Jennyanydots lives?" Munkustrap knew that she lived with a human, but he wasn't sure where.

The smaller white and black cat looked to the ground, puzzled as he tried to remember. "I believe she isn't too far from here. If I may ask, do you have business with her?"

Pouncing off of his tire-home, Munkustrap looked back to Alonzo, who now stood where he was. "Let us hope she would be willing to do business with me. If anyone could be of help to my current situation, it is the certain Gumbie cat I have in mind."

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It was about thirty minutes later that Munkustrap and Alonzo reached the home of Jennyanydots. Munkustrap still hadn't explained what he wanted with the Gumbie cat, but Alonzo didn't want to press him for answers. He assumed it must be important though, considering how quickly the Jellicle Protector had decided to leave his post. If any of the other cats were to find out that they left, there could be consequences to face. It wasn't like Munkustrap to leave the junkyard unprotected for long.

Munkustrap turned to Alonzo, and asked, "Are you sure that this is the home where Jennyanydots resides?"

Alonzo nodded. "Yes, she lives here. Usually, she lies outside, but it is rather humid this morning, so she had probably decided to stay in."

For a moment, Munkustrap wondered why Alonzo knew so much about the Gumbie cat. Did he really leave the junkyard so often? He assumed there would be time to inquire about that later. Instead, the tabby tom leapt up onto the window sill, peering in, shielding the sunlight from his face. He could see Jennyanydots curled up underneath the coffee table, taking a nap.

Munkustrap smiled, and he began to sing, _"I have a Gumbie cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots. Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots."_

Upon hearing this, Jennyanydots slowly raised her head, stretching all the way out to her tail. Her tired eyes looked up to the window, where a familiar tabby smiled and waved at her. Jenny beamed, her eyes lighting up in surprise, and she waved back. She got up as quickly as she could – although that was a bit slow compared to other cats – and she waddled to the door, where she proceeded to meow and meow to be let out.

Munkustrap jumped down from the window sill, and he and Alonzo waited at the bottom of the stairs for Jennyanydots to come down. She gave another wave upon seeing them. "Hello, boys!" her voice rang out. When she sat down, it became evident she had no intention of coming down the stairs, so Alonzo and Munkustrap bounded up to see her. "What brings you to my home?"

Alonzo gave her a smile and bowed, before answering, "Well, I led Munkustrap here, because he has some business with you to which he needs to attend." He looked to Munkustrap then. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to return to the junkyard now. I trust you can find your way home?"

Munkustrap nodded, dismissing him, and Alonzo padded away down the sidewalk. The tabby turned back to Jenny. Though his face showed a smile, his eyes held a bit of worry. "I am so sorry to bother you at your place of living, Ms. Jennyanydots, but I need help, and you're the only cat I know of that can help me."

To that, the Gumbie cat showed signs of worry, taking one of Munkustrap's paws in her own. "What is troubling you, child? If I can help, I will surely try."

He chuckled slightly before saying, "This is going to sound silly, but I do take this a bit seriously, Ms. Jenny." He paused before asking, "Do you have knowledge about the bath-taking process?"

Jennyanydots was silent for a moment, thinking it was a joke, but then she realized that Munkustrap _was _indeed serious, and she couldn't help but to let out a laugh. "That is what you have come all this way for? A bath?" When he nodded, she asked, "Why do you care to take a bath, my dear?"

Munkustrap sighed, looking down at the concrete. "I…"

Jenny took his chin, raising his head with a stern expression. "Manners, child. It is rude not to look someone in the eye when you are speaking to them."

He swallowed, then said, "My apologies. This is just a matter which I am not the most comfortable." He sighed, and she removed her paw from his chin. "I believe that I have fallen in love, Jenny. No, I **know **that I have fallen in love. This cat is everything that I think about; she never leaves my mind. But, I believe she might fancy another cat in the yard, one that is…_cleaner_ than me. So, I was thinking that if I were to take a bath, she might give me a second look. Can you help me, Jennyanydots?" He asked this with hope in his eyes, hope which he clung to with everything he had.

With the fondest of smiles, and a tilt of her head, Jennyanydots replied, "How could I turn you down, sweetheart, when the stakes are love?"

* * *

It had been slightly difficult to manage a bath without letting Jennyanydots' human know. The Gumbie cat had taken an old wash basin, which had been tossed into the back yard as scrap, and enlisted the help of Munkustrap to drag it over to the side of the house, where there was a water spout. As she pumped water into the old, dented basin, she cautioned Munkustrap, saying, "I warn you, this will not be the most proper bath. I cannot go inside and retrieve soap for you, and the water will not be warm – most likely. But, this will get all of the dirt out of your fur, and leave you cleaner than before."

Munkustrap smiled to her. "I am appreciative for any kind of help. Thank you so much for your kindness, Jennyanydots."

She waved a paw at him with a smile. "Oh, save the flattery for the cat that has stolen your eye." Then she smiled as the tom looked down awkwardly at his feet. She ignored his mannerisms, and instead she asked, "So what is it about this cat that as you fetched?"

He looked up at her again, a grin on his face so wide that it appeared his cheeks could tear. "Oh, she is the most beautiful of cats," he paused, his grin falling, "not to say anything ill of your appearance, Jenny." She waved him away, and he continued. "She has the kindest of hearts, and the most beautiful smile. That is part of what made me fall for her – her compassion for others. But her dancing…is so enchanting. Never before have I seen anything quite like it. She is so young, yet so talented, as if she has been dancing for many years. And her fur is the purest of white pelts."

Jenny quickly looked to him in understanding. "Your love is for Victoria?"

Munkustrap nodded, looking bashful again. "I have yet to tell anyone of this, other than you, Jennyanydots. I must impress her; I must gain her love."

Jenny was finally done pumping the water, the basin now ready to be bathed in. "Well, with any luck, this bath will fix you up in no time. Come on now, dear. Time to get into the tub."

The tom swallowed, now a bit nervous. He slowly reached out, dipping a clawed digit into the water. He pulled it back quickly, holding it to his body as if he'd been burned. "The water is frigid! I thought baths were warm."

The Gumbie cat put her paws on her hips. "I warned you before that the water would not be very hot, or were you just not listening? Now, I have run this bath for you, and I expect you to get in."

Munkustrap flinched away from the angry cat. He exhaled deeply, hesitating before putting on of his hind legs into the water. He immediately shivered, pulling his leg back out. "Oh, but it's too cold! I can't stand it!"

Jenny groaned, walking around the basin to Munkustrap. "I did not think it would be this difficult to give you a bath that _you _requested." Suddenly, she was picking him up off the ground. The Gumbie cat was much stronger than she appeared. With a yelp from Munkustrap, he was tossed into the freezing water, going completely under. He resurfaced quickly, water sloshing over the sides as he clung to himself in an attempt to get warmer. Jenny began to scrub his fur with a brush that looked more meant for cleaning windows. The tabby tom resisted every urge to hiss in retaliation. Instead, he thought of Victoria, and of making her happy.

It didn't really add to the excitement of bathing.

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**A/N: **You can probably guess, this is going to be a fairly long story. It has seven parts with I have no idea how many chapters in each. Some will have more chapters than others. Part one is one of the longer parts. But I hope you guys liked this! Give me reviews so I'll know!


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